


Silent Words; Talkative Hands

by woodentarantula



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M, Selectively Mute Character, Sign Language, Slow Burn, hopefully I am impatient, rating subject to change too, tags will update as the fic goes on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 14:13:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15366408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woodentarantula/pseuds/woodentarantula
Summary: It's the first time they meet in the school parking lot in elementary that Noctis memorizes the image of Prompto, not just because he had walked up to him and showed interest in him beyond being the prince, but because he has signed 'thank you' to him.A semi-linear drabble collection of Prompto and Noctis throughout highschool signing to each other.





	Silent Words; Talkative Hands

**Author's Note:**

> A little background! I'm currently learning American Sign Language in school, but I'm only a beginner with 2 years experience. Since we dont /really/ know where Lucis is I'm gonna say them using American sign works lol. If you're not really sure what signing looks like, look up some interviews with deaf people or interpreters, it's really cool to watch even if you don't understand it. I'll do my best to balance descriptions of signs with actual translations. If the sentence structure of those bits sounds weird, it's cause I'm trying to maintain some amount of how ASL is structured, without making it sound /too/ weird. Let me know if any part of it sounds super awkward or is just annoying to read!

In the blindingly lit and shadow-scattered corner of the school where Noctis had sat, where Prompto had tried to talk to him the first time, where Prompto had fallen flat on his face, _that_ was when Noctis burned the image of Prompto into his brain. Not just because he had come up to him, had show some genuine interest in who he was as a person instead of the fact that he was the prince, but that when Noctis had pulled him to his feet, Prompto had placed his fingers to his chin and pointed the back of his hand toward Noctis. A silent thank you. Noctis hadn’t seen someone else at school use sign before and desperately wanted to know how much the boy in front of him knew, but he was gone already, desperately embarrassed.

Noctis had kept his eyes on him, watched him grow up beside him, but never engaged again. Prompto had gone silent to him the rest of elementary school and clear through middle and it wasn’t till Noctis was walking home the first day of high school that Prompto had finally sidled up to him and properly introduced himself.

Noctis watches his hands as he speaks. He talks with them, but none of it is actual sign, just body language. He shoves the anxiety down his throat when he asks on his hands. _You know sign?_

Prompto’s face goes blank a second and in that moment Noctis briefly considers bolting but Prompto laughs a little and hesitantly replies. _Yeah, little bit._

-

_My mom’s hard of hearing._ Prompto signs to Noctis a week or two after their re-introduction. _She doesn’t like talking about it, afraid I’ll get bullied or something._ He waves dismissively at the idea. “It doesn’t bother me really. It’s nice seeing someone else sign.”

Noctis nods. “For me it’s… hard to explain. Sometimes I feel like-” He puts his hand in front of his throat, makes a fist, pulls his hand away.

“Like you’re voice is taken?”

Noctis nods again, keeping back a smile. “Yeah, like, it’s taken somewhere and I can’t find it. And other times talking is just hard, like putting words together is difficult, but signing is easier then.” Noctis shrugs a little.

“That’s weird,” Prompto says, but there’s no malice in it, more a fascination that makes Noctis more excited than self-conscious. “But I’m glad sign works for you then.”

“Yeah, well, not many of the teachers know it.” Noctis replies. “So it’s not so helpful at school anyway. S’why I mostly keep to myself. Well, mostly.”

Prompto nods. “The fan girls get pretty rabid?”

“Yeah! And they crowd around and it’s” Noctis shivers dramatically, making Prompto laugh a little, “not good.”

“I mean it kinda makes sense, you’re a good lookin’ guy.” Prompto glances up at the clock and before Noctis can even register the comment, he taps on Noctis’s elbow. “Hey we should get lunch before they run all out, yeah?”

Noctis stares a half-second and nods, following Prompto out of the classroom.


End file.
